♪ that's my kind of holiday good morning, america. breaking overnight, radioactive heist. a truck carrying radioactive material stolen at a gas station south of our border. the world's top nuclear watchdog warns, it could be extremely dangerous. developing now, that polar express plunging into the u.s. pushing deep into the southwest. bitter cold and warnings right now. it's in the 20s in california. sam champion and ginger zee, tracking it all. breaking at this hour, celebrity chef, nigella lawson on the stand. telling the court her ex-husband has been spreading false accusations of drug use, threatening to destroy her. ron burgundy is taking his talents to bristol. >> ron burgundy taking his act to "sportscenter." the anchorman going one-on-one with the q.b. we don't think anyone's ever said this to peyton manning before.

>> you look like a succulent baby lamb. and good morning, america. whole lot to get to this wednesday morning. and it is a bittersweet morning for all of us. today, we say farewell to sam champion. send him off on a great adventure. >> i feel like my mom right now. i just want to lay my eyes on you. we are going to send you off in the style you have become accustomed too. buckle up for a trip down memory lane. >> this is a frightening morning, p.s. right now, we're going to get to the story breaking overnight. a truck packed with dangerous nuclear material, stolen south of our border. our chief justice correspondent, pierre thomas, has been tracking this through the night. and, pierre, explain why officials are so worried about this hijacking. >> reporter: good morning, george.

today u.s. authorities on the southern border are on heightened alert. they're concerned about the radioactive material stole at the mexican border. a truck stolen near mexico city is drawing international concern. it housed this medical device, used in the treatment of cancer patients. in it, cobalt 60 teletherapy, a radioactive material that can be dangerous if it's removed or if the shielding of the device is damaged. >> if you have a large quantity, an entire truck of this cobalt 60, could you really do some environmental harm? and that question, i think is open at this point. >> reporter: mexican officials immediately contacted the international atomic energy agency. u.s. officials are monitoring closely. the truck was stolen at a gas station just 35 miles outside of mexico city. it is unclear who stole the material. and if they know what they have. but even though the theft occurred hundreds of miles from the u.s. border, there's a reason why the incident is drawing such intense scrutiny. u.s. officials have long been

concerned that stolen radioactive material could be used to make a so-called dirty bomb. such a device could not cause a nuclear explosion. but the cobalt, combined with a conventional explosive, could release harmful radioactive elements or something that could at least scare people. >> can they figure out exactly if you have a large quantity of cobalt 60, could you do something environmentally catastrophic? >> reporter: u.s. officials are working hard to track this theft. i just spoke to a senior u.s. official who said there's no reason to panic, but they're taking no chances. >> of course not, because this kind of material has been stolen before, pierre. just to underscore, cannot create an explosion. but it can make people really sick. >> it can make people very sick. and again, the real concern is that beyond the medical issues, that you can really scare people if there was a release of this material. it's a terror weapon, more so than a huge, explosive weapon. >> on the search for it right

now. pierre thomas, thanks very much. let's get the latest on the cold blast. sam and ginger on top of it. >> hey, good morning. this is one of those cold air blasts. some people say, hey, it's winter. why are we talking about cold air? we're talking about cold air where a city will drop 25 degrees in 24 hours. and get to numbers colder than they've seen since the '90s. so it's a really big deal. this morning, we start to show you some pictures. cold air and snow already in the minneapolis area. but get this. they're 30 degrees right now. they'll go to 2 below by the time we get to friday. that's how powerful this pocket of cold air is. now, check the states. yesterday, we told you we'd have about 25 state where's the winter watches, warnings or advisories are out. right now, we're at 24. we haven't gotten to the big spot of cold air into the south. i think we'll get more than 25 states involved in these advisories. quick look at how deep that cold air is expected to go. this is straight from the polar icecap polar express. these are the numbers we expect friday morning. when you see rapid city at 11

below, billings at 23 below. salt lake city at 8 below. these are real numbers. that's not the windchill. i wanted to take some time to hand off the board to ginger zee. but she's not here this morning. where is she? exactly where you would expect she is, in the middle of the cold air in denver. ginger, my love, i'm so glad to see you. i wish you were here. but i'm glad you're doing what we do. >> as am i. and so honored to take it from you, sam. i've learned so much from you, so much left to learn. but there's one thing i know. i love being in it. and i'm in it. the coldest air in the lower 48. it is 7 degrees here. you see denver behind me. hey, this is only the beginning. it's some of the most bone-chilling air seen this early in 16 years. >> it's terrible. >> reporter: the arctic blast slashing temps across at least 23 states. by 30 to even 50 degrees in just 24 hours. in denver, the high was 56 yesterday. this morning, the temp has plummeted to around 10 degrees. icy roads in salt lake city, sending two people to the hospital. the back of this pickup truck

crumbled after a driver last control. and a tanker in south dakota sliding right off the highway. whiteout conditions in reno, nevada. this car colliding with an 18-wheeler. no way to escape all that snow. up to two feet in duluth, minnesota, leaving drivers stranded. many shoveling around their tires just to get moving. >> it's wicked, actually. i've never seen it like this before. >> reporter: and look at this pickup truck, caught on the side of the road in a colossal snow embankment. the chains are all over the tires in northern california. and even chilling winds in southern california. temperatures heading into the 20s, threatening to spoil citrus crops. the tears that you see coming down my eyes, part of the cold. but of course, on this bittersweet morning, because i'm going to miss you, my friend. sam, back to you. >> i'm going to miss you, too. i think i'll talk to you every day. here's one of the reasons i know it's cold besides the tears. you're actually wearing the hood on the extreme team jacket. i don't think either one of us

have gotten the hood on. that's how i know it's cold. ginger, thank you. i'll see you very soon. here's where we're talking about as the snow goes. we're talking about not just cold air but snow. there's a thursday into friday component that drops snow in the deep south. louisville, little rock, oklahoma city. be advised you'll be in the area where there will be hits of snow as well as northern parts. we'll go over the rest of the country's weather when we come back in regular weather. let's get back to the desk. josh, robin george, and lara. >> she learned from the best, sam. all right. now, new details in that fatal train derailment in new york that left four people dead. more than 60 injured. the train's engineer is telling investigators that he was, quote, in a daze right before the train went off the rails. abc's gio benitez is at the scene in the bronx. good morning, gio. >> reporter: robin, good morning to you. we are down at that train station. and amazingly, it has already reopened. in fact, just behind us, you can still see some of the debris. but right now, investigators are zeroing in on that train

operator. dazed, dozing, possibly even asleep. this morning, sources telling abc news, train operator william rockefeller admitted he was dozing off just before sunday's deadly crash. his lawyer reportedly saying, rockefeller suffered highway hypnosis. a trance-like state where a driver falls asleep with eyes wide-open. the rail union rep claiming rockefeller caught himself, but it was too late. >> it was a shock to him. he was stunned. realized it, and, you know, he went to try to correct it as fast as he could. >> reporter: this morning, those comments are backfiring. in a rare move, the union has now been kicked out of the ntsb investigation into the crash for speaking publicly before all the facts have been gathered. what has been determined, that rockefeller was on day two of a five-day workweek. shifts nine hours long. no apparent red flags in terms of getting enough rest. >> there's every indication that

he would have had time to get full restorative sleep. >> reporter: new york's governor seems so be putting the blame squarely on rockefeller. >> there was no equipment failure, no track problem. the operator has rights but there's all sorts of liability questions. >> reporter: four people were killed in the derailment. more than 60 injured, as the train approached a curve at 82 miles per hour, almost three-times the speed limit there. in another rare move late tuesday, the u.s. department of transportation weighed in. saying we have significant concerns about the current situation at metro north. four serious accidents in less than seven months is simply unacceptable. and investigators have drug-tested that train operator. they're awaiting those results. but right now, robin, we do know that his blood alcohol test came back negative. and we've been told he's been very cooperative as well.

all right. jio, thanks. now to josh with the other top stories. good morning, josh. >> a developing story from arizona overnight. a deadly midair collision between skydivers more than 200 feet in the air. the two divers were part of a highly skilled group trying to set a world record. but the parachutes apparently collapsed in close formation. this is the same location where last weekend, 63 women set a freefall skydiving record. millions of americans are left wondering whether their pensions are really safe after a decision by a judge in detroit. the judge is allowing the city to cut pensions and benefits in hopes that the city can emerge from the largest municipal bankruptcy in u.s. history. detroit's emergency manager has yet to explain, however, how deep those cuts will be. meantime, lawmakers in illinois have approved cuts to worker benefits and retiree pensions there, as the state struggles to cover a pension shortfall. unions are vowing to fight the cuts. vice president biden is in beijing, hoping to ease growing

tensions with china. he'll be meeting with china's president. today, biden visited with chinese students at the u.s. embassy there, urging them to challenge their government and not accept the status quo. we have new details about that american veteran being held captive in north korea. turns out that 85-year-old merrill newman was part of a special forces unit that trained a secret guerrilla group during the korean war. members of the group were waiting to reunite with newman in south korea, just before he was detained. and a bizarre scene to show you from a safari lodge in central africa. although really not bizarre. that's where they live. >> yeah. >> not just an elephant in the room. try six. the herd apparently likes to -- >> that's a lobby? >> they say the herd likes to take a shortcut through the lodge after feeding on a nearby fruit tree. it's not a shortcut to them, it's just how you go. who decided to build this house

in the middle of our cafeteria? i think is a better question. and finally, imagine you buy a lottery ticket. >> yeah. >> and it's a $50 million winning lottery ticket. >> i'm in. >> and you have no idea because you lost the ticket. >> oh! question of the morning. should you still get the money? >> yes. >> that is what happened to this woman in canada. the money went unclaimed for a year. but the nice folks at the lottery, in the great white north, decided to track down kathryn jones, after spotting her on surveillance video buying the ticket. she had no idea she won until lottery officials showed up at her door. in a related news item, i am going to be with sam all day today. i will leave a complete list of all addresses where i can be found. just in case, should the need arise. the great state of new york, the powerball folks can find me and make my day. feel free. that's great. >> talk about the government working for you. >> yeah. >> i love that. >> thanks, josh.

going to turn to the desperate search for a california family missing for three days since their small plane went down in the idaho wilderness. the father, a silicon valley executive was piloting the plane when it disappeared. and abc's clayton sandell has the story. >> reporter: this morning, search teams will be honing in on an emergency beacon that sounds like this. the signal, coming from somewhere in the rugged mountains 50 miles northeast of cascade, idaho. >> they have it narrowed around two to four square mile radius where they think the aircraft might be. >> reporter: after celebrating thanksgiving in san jose, california, dale smith was flying his son daniel, and daniel's wife, home sunday to butte, montana. the last leg of their trip started in baker city, oregon, and was supposed to take them over the continental divide. but near yellow pine, idaho, smith radioed he was having trouble. wanting to land at a nearby airport. a single-engine beech bonanza, never made it.

also was their daughter and her fiance. both are students at byu. he had come to thanksgiving dinner to meet her family. >> they are deeply in love. i got my wedding announcement a couple days ago. but they're scheduled to be married on january 4th. >> reporter: smith is the ceo of a silicon valley tech firm. family members say he's an expert pilot. >> all of the words i've heard to describe dale smith are the kind of words you would want to describe a pilot of a small aircraft. competent, conservative, meticulous. >> reporter: now, they're hoping for a miracle. >> the number one concern we have is that they have survived the crash and they may be injured. but they're having to survive in 10-degree weather at nighttime, possibly with snow coming down. and no way to keep warm. >> reporter: right now, the signal from that emergency beacon is very weak which makes it hard to find. but today, rescuers on the ground and in the air will go back at it.

robin? >> they're working hard to find them. clayton, thank you. now, to the latest on that frightening bear attack in florida. a woman seriously injured when a black bear mauled her as she walked her dogs in a gated community. the hunt is on for the animal. and abc's steve osunsami has the story. >> a woman i think has been mauled by a bear. she's bleeding. she needs immediate help. >> reporter: that's the newly released 911 call capturing the moments after a bear knocked 54-year-old susan chapman to the ground. she was bleeding badly and ran to a neighbor's to call for help. >> how old is she? >> i can't tell. she's so bloody, i can't tell. my wife has towels wrapped around her head. she's applying pressure. she's moaning in pain. >> reporter: now, wildlife officials here are setting up a second and third trap hoping to capture the bear that attacked the florida homeowner as she walked her dog monday night in this gated community. >> the paramedics are on their way. >> hurry. >> reporter: neighbors told us they keep seeing bears from a nearby nature preserve, looking for an easy lunch in their backyards. these are a few of their pictures.

inga bateman said she, too, was walking her small dogs in june, when she came face-to-face with a hungry bear. she and the dogs were able to get inside. >> the bear circled. snapping at our heels. got up on her hind legs. right in my face and was foaming at the mouth. >> reporter: authorities are filling their traps with glazed doughnuts, irresistible to bears. when they catch this one, it will most likely meet its end. >> i would say it's a very good possibility it will be put down. >> reporter: experts say right now bears across the country are trying to fatten up for the winter. so, families near woods and wetlands where bears live need to stay alert. wildlife officials say this is why they're telling residents they, too, have some responsibility to keep their pet food inside, and to make sure their garbage lids are locked on tight. it's that time of year. george? >> steve, thanks very much. now, to what could be a landmark case involving the futuristic computer glasses, google glass.

a california woman was ticketed for driving with them on. but she's fighting the citation. abc's neal karlinsky has the story. >> reporter: cecilia abadie loves her latest gadget, google glass. a wearable computer that fits like glasses and projects a tiny screen in front of your eyes. she has become the first in the nation to test whether it's legal to drive with glass. as in this youtube video from another motorist. >> that thought never crossed my mind that it was illegal. me and my friends, we wear glass all the time when we drive. >> reporter: the high-tech tug-of-war began when the california highway patrol pulled abadie over for allegedly speeding. and the officer noticed she was wearing google glass. there's no law against glass specifically. so, he slapped her with another ticket. a violation that makes it illegal to drive with a television or video monitor, even though abadie says her glass unit wasn't turned on. >> because of the way he was asking me the questions, i

started to realize he was feeling there was something illegal about it. >> i think a case like this was more than inevitable. and i think it's one of the first of many cases we're going to see with google glass. >> reporter: in a statement, google warns users about using mobile devices while driving. adding they should always use glass responsibly. and put their safety and the safety of others first. abadie is fighting her ticket and will testify at trial next month. no word on whether she'll be wearing google glass on the witness stand. for "good morning america," neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> angie just handed me this glass. there's no way you should be driving with this on. you can't see anything when it goes on. it's very distracting. that's my editorial for the day. >> put them on. >> and on the side, it's very distracting. there's no way. >> i agree. how about weather, sam? >> let's get to the boards. we got a couple things to share with you. we're going to start with foggy mornings waiting for you. it's all because we're ahead of the big cold front moving through the country

in part of the country. these areas that have got the fog, we've got warm air rushing in. long nights, warm air this time of year, means we're going to get dense fog. and by the time the fog burns off, the temperatures are coming up into the deep south and nicely so. 80s from texas all the way into florida. let's say you're going to tampa, today, 77, very close to 80. atlanta, 68. new orleans, about 77 degrees. san antonio, i might pick you about 80 degrees. that's all the time we have for weather. that's the weather around the nation.

gorgeous, lingering look at the map, ladies and gentlemen. more of america's weather coming up. >> a new move. all right. coming up, nigella lawson in court, testifying her ex-husband has been spreading false accusations about drug use. also ahead, a teenager pursuing her dream to make a music video, how she and her

dance instructor ended up under arrest. were they racially profiled? and cee lo green is speaking out about the charges he's facing. and of course, vitamin-infused showers. what? show before redeeming their bank of america travel rewards points on more than just flights for their recent trip to paradise. before they went to paradise and paid for the car rental, snorkeling, lava tour, and hulu lessons. the clarkes got the bankamericard travel rewards credit card -- the card that allows you to redeem points on just about anything travel related.

that's the le'ale'a of travel rewards. apply online or visit a bank of america near you. ♪ nothing says, "you're my #1 copilot," like a milk-bone biscuit. ♪ say it with milk-bone. some victories are uplifting. some inspire us to new heights. and some victories are worth striving for. but at famous footwear, we believe... ...the best victories are the ones that are right within reach. these are the victories we're famous for. famous brands, famously easy, famous footwear. victory is yours.

♪ [ male announcer ] hurry into lowe's for a wide selection of fresh cut christmas trees starting at just $20. ♪ starting at just $20. (hey break the walls! oh oh oh!) ♪

good morning. i'm kristen sze. fire crews in san jose are looking into the cause of an early morning fire that ripped through a mobile home. these photos were taken by the san jose fire department when they arrived on scene shortly after 2:00. the fire broke out at a park near monterey and blossom hill road.

it's not believed anyone was home at the time. neighbors say a man in his 70s lived in the home. and they say he hasn't been seen since yesterday his car was not parked out in front. right now check out the morning commute with sue in for leyla. still a rough one in san jose. a couple issues out there. northbound 101 near mckey, that accident in the clearing phases. then an earlier accident highway 87 northbound past curtner, that's in the clearing phases as well. accident cleared northbound 101 just before cesar chavez. >>

check out the early morning shadows from sutro tower. good morning, the sun is up. so we're at our coldest temperatures. cold spots by region, petaluma 27 in the north bay, fremont 27 along the east bay shore, danville 27 in the east bay valley, men lo park on the peninsula 29. san jose at 30. san francisco and oakland i found 38 degrees. some other temperatures you can see, we're running around 37 in san carlos to about 35 in san

prove it. enough is enough. d-con baits are specially formulated to kill in one feeding. guaranteed. d-con. get out. erfect world every man wow! would look like jowow!tamos. and in a perfect world, what's delicious would be healthy too. wish granted.

dannon oikos greek nonfat yogurt. this really is too good to be true! dannon oikos greek nonfat yogurt. ♪ dannon. there's nigella lawson right there. the celebrity chef walking into court this morning in london, testifying that her ex-husband, charles saatchi, threatened to destroy her if she did not clear his name in a public dispute that led to their divorce. and making front pages all around the world. we're going to get to that in just a bit. also here on "good morning america," the teen dance sensation, fulfilling her dreams to make a music video. she and her dance instructor ended up under arrest. and she was put into custody, for child protective services. why she says racial profiling was to blame. and cee lo green is opening up about the felony drug charge he's facing. why he says he is feeling optimistic right now. a lot to get to. and then, a lot to get to. >> what?

>> sam, we're going to ask you to bring your seat backs to their proper upright positions. stow your stuff because the plane is coming in for a final approach, my friend. we have a great morning ahead for you. >> working on highlight reels all night long. that's coming up. right now, we're going to get to the latest of nigella lawson. the celebrity chef is taking the stand. she was reluctant because her ex-husband has been threatening her. lama hasan is there. in london where this is all playing out. good morning, lama. >> reporter: good morning to you, george. well, first the first time since this trial began, nigella lawson is breaking her silence and speaking out. saying her ex-husband, charles saatchi, is spreading false accusations of her alleged drug use. things are heating up in the courtroom behind me this morning. this morning, nigella lawson arrived at the courthouse, holding her head high, just before making shocking claims against former husband, charles

sach saatchi, whom she now refers to as mr. saatchi. saying, quote, i've been put on trial here. it's been a summer of bullying and abuse. in testimony, lawson says he was spreading false accusations of drug use. describing it as a p.r. stunt and salvaging his reputation and damaging hers. as for those images that went viral this summer, nigella calls it, a, quote, awful incident. and that saatchi threatened her, saying if you don't come back to me and clear my name, i will destroy you. this is supposed to be a trial against her former assistants, accused of spending more than $1 million of the couple's money, allegedly without the couple's knowledge. in an emotional testimony today, lawson said that lisa grillo, her assistant, broke her heart. i love lisa. my children love lisa, and that the illicit spending by the

sisters have not been approved. this trial that's meant to be a fraud trial, is really unveiling much more about the couple's failed relationship. this morning, nigella saying that saatchi had a temper and didn't take part in family life. the trial carries on all week. george? >> thank you very much. let's bring in dan abrams in right now. again, you have to remember, it is the assistants on trial here. but nigella lawson feels like she's on the stand. and that's because so much is going to turn on whether the jury believes she was using drugs. >> you can understand why she feels she's on trial there. the defense is in effect -- we were given permission to use these cards, in part because she was on drugs. we were working long hours because she was on drugs. that becomes a crucial part of the defense here. if these jurors don't believe that she was abusing drugs, i think this case is over. if they do, it still doesn't mean they're getting off. >> it gets complicated because charles saatchi has recanted on

his accusations. but there's e-mails that say, the assistants will get off because of her, nigella's, drug use. >> and that's what is so powerful here. although he does make a comment at the very end of that e-mail, suggesting that they still did it. but his powerful words in an e-mail, you can't take that away. you can say, yes, i didn't mean it. i meant it as hyperbole. i was trying to make a point. but those are powerful words. the question is whether the jurors are going to take it literally or not. but you can understand. she's sitting there on the stand, as we speak, why she feels like this isn't their trial. this is my trial. everyone's looking at me. and what i'm saying about this. and to some degree, i'm sure she feels that people don't care that much about what they did. you can understand her frustration. >> no question about it. there's a lot of headlines. dan abrams, thanks very much. a story that's raising a lot of eyebrows. the oklahoma teen taken into

custody by houston police after they say she was found asleep in a car with her dance instructor and dance partner. she is white. the men are black. and they say this was a case of racial profiling. abc's ryan owens has the story. ♪ >> reporter: on the dance floor, these three appear in perfect sync. but che houston police say they saw the trio at 3:00 in the morning sunday, asleep in a car at a gas station, they thought something didn't look right. after all, landry thompson is 13. her dance partner is 22. her instructor, 29. the three traveled from oklahoma to houston to fulfill landry's dream. to make a hip-hop music video. as she tried to explain to officers. >> they didn't believe me at all. they thought that i was a runaway. >> reporter: they handcuffed all three and called landry's mom, nine hours away in oklahoma. she explained why her daughter was there.

and that she even traveled with paperwork naming her 29-year-old dance instructor her legal guardian during the trip. >> the first thing they mentioned to me was that my daughter was in houston with two black men. >> yeah, two black guys in a car with a white girl. it doesn't makeny sense. >> reporter: the officers took landry to child protective services, where she stayed for several hours until the confusion was cleared up. all three were eventually released. >> i'm proud of the officer for the actions that he took. >> reporter: houston's police chief said his officers acted only because the girl was 13. in a car with two men she's not related to, at 3:00 a.m. in a city with a serious human trafficking problem. >> i think the officer would have been derelict and somewhat negligent had he not intervened. >> reporter: landry's mom says she actually appreciates that police were asking questions, but still can't under why her daughter ended up in handcuffs. for "good morning america," ryan owens, abc news, dallas.

>> raising a lot of eyebrows on both sides. time, now, for the weather. sam, get ready. we are taking a trip down memory lane. >> oh. >> we're going to go back to the very beginning. the first forecast here on "gma." take a look. >> sam champion here from wabc tv. >> more good stuff out there. let's talk about temperatures. we have cool air working down. that's going to help the snowstorm. work this way together. the teens are extending all of the way down. >> we have have flurries. >> i sound like elvis. >> the teens all the way down. and we get some 30s that are going down into denver, as well. so, finally cool air is beginning to seep in. as it pushes in -- >> love the hair cut. >> this is a cool dude. >> i had just moved from jacksonville, florida. there's a little southern accent. i think it's reminiscent of elvis. >> sam, can you do this forecast? >> i can't do it that way. i don't know what happened.

all right. so we have some bitter cold air dropping into the country. we've told you that. but let's talk about only south but east and what happens to the temperatures and watch the drop. minneapolis -- i don't think i can. minneapolis, from 32, all the way -- i think i pulled something -- to 2 on saturday. chicago, from 53 down into the 20s. dallas, from 80 into the 30s. denver, you're already cold. you're staying cold. and some of the areas are getting snow, as well. a quick look at where that weather is in the northeast and how great it is. it's a little warm for us. scattered showers. but the temperatures are so mild and comfortable for this time of year. enjoy. >> this just in. there was a terrible fire in the abc tape library.

all old videos have been lost forever. >> nice try. >> that weather was brought to you by kmart. >> you wish, buddy. >> good luck, sam. and coming up, cee lo green speaking out about the felony drug charge he's facing. he says the darkest part is over. and fitness faceoff. a so-called fit mom taking on the backlash for the woman encouraging everyone to embrace their curves. come on back. ♪ shop the adam levine collection, exclusively at kmart. and go behind the scenes at shopyourway.com/adam and less saturated fat? it's eb.

eggland's best eggs. better taste. better nutrition. better eggs. it's eb. better eggs. [kevin] paul and i have been [paul] well...forever. [kevin] he's the one person who loves pizza more than i do. [paul] we're obsessed. [kevin] we decided to make our obsession our livelihood. [kevin] business was really good. [kevin] then our sauce supplier told me: "you got to get quickbooks." [kevin]quickbooks manages money, tracks sales and expenses. [paul] we even use it to accept credit cards. [paul] somebody buys a pie with a credit card, boom, all the accounts update. [paul] when we started hiring,we turned on payroll. [kevin] it's like our pizza.you add the toppings you want, leave off the ones you don't. [kevin] now business is in really great shape. [announcer] start using intuit quickbooks for free at quickbooks-dot-com. your life is a game of chance. chronic migraine, but what if the odds could be in your favor? botox® is an fda-approved treatment that significantly reduces headache days for adults with chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more. it's proven to actually prevent headache days. and it's injected by a doctor once every 3 months.

the effects of botox® (onabotulinumtoxina) may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be a sign of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. don't take botox® if you have a skin infection. tell your doctor about your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. the dose of botox® is not the same as other botulinum toxins. put the odds on your side. visit botoxchronicmigraine.com and talk to a headache specialist. mmm! this is delicious katie. it's not bad for canned soup, right? pfft! [ laughs ] you nearly had us there. canned soup. [ male announcer ] they just might think it's homemade. try campbell's homestyle soup.

[ male announcer ] they just might tcheck it out...ade. what do you think, huh? subtle. brew the love. keurig. ♪ (beeping) ♪ (ringing) ♪

the samsung galaxy s4. available at verizon. and we are back, now, at 7:43 with the latest on singer cee lo green, speaking out about his felony drug charge. the grammy winner pleaded not guilty to the accusation that he slipped ecstasy into a woman's drink. and now, he's saying he feels optimistic about the case. john muller has the story.

>> reporter: as calm and collected as ever. cee lo green doled out the compliments on nbc's "the voice." >> i actually believe that everybody was equally amazing. >> reporter: the singer/song writer who stands accused of giving a woman ecstasy last year, told tmz tuesday as he was leaving an airport, that he is optimistic about the case. >> this is becoming more favorable every day. specifics, just stretching it out, really. >> reporter: cee lo, whose real name is thomas decarlo calloway, pleaded not guilty. prosecutors say the 39-year-old artist slipped the woman the drug ecstasy, while the two were having dinner in los angeles. >> for the rest of the process. and we'll be done with that. >> reporter: cee lo had faced a sexual assault charge as well in the same case. but the district attorney dropped the charge, due to lack of evidence.

the grammy winner is due back in court in january and is facing up to four years in jail. in the meantime, green remains optimistic about the future. >> we're all good. >> reporter: for "good morning america," john muller, abc news, new york. >> cee lo will be back in court to deal with the charges early next year. coming up, princess kate in a stunning tiara. why the future queen was wearing a crown for the first time since her wedding, looking glorious. coming up, "the play of the day." samuel j., for journalism. >> oh, please, oh, no. >> coming up next. >> no. >> please, no. >> yes. it's happening. and some victories are worth striving for. but at famous footwear, we believe... ...the best victories are the ones that are right within reach.

these are the victories we're famous for. famous brands, famously easy, famous footwear. victory is yours. i love chalk and erasers. but change is coming. all my students have the brand new surface. it has the new windows and comes with office, has a real keyboard, so they can do real work. they can use bing smartsearch to find anything in the world... or last night's assignment. and the battery lasts and lasts, so after school they can skype, play games, and my favorite...do homework. change is looking pretty good after all. ♪

soft, luxurious, so comfortable.

indulge in the warmth of the season with our embraceable pajamas. exclusively at soma and soma.com. where beautiful gifts begin. we know we're not the center of your life, but we'll do our best to help you connect to what is.

right then. here's "the play of the day." >> sam, you've covered so many huge stories. we thought we would ignore those for now so that we can bring you all of this. >> oh, wow.

>> you have a dragon on your shoulder. >> what's up with the extensions? >> what are you asking? >> i'm just saying. i make this look real and pretty fab. you're giving me some bad renaissance fair. ow. ow. ow. ow. >> one, two, three, four, five times? >> and for the four of you that missed sam's recent honeymoon to rio. >> no. >> what? ♪ >> magic josh. >> and the thing is, this undersells what's underneath. but i want to get to this one. i want to get to this one. these were the best days to spend with you.

these were the very best days, sam. >> oh, my gosh. these are so much fun to do, by the way. [ laughter ] >> it's not clean. ♪ >> why are you hitting yourself? why are you hitting yourself? >> oh. >> honestly, all of us staying after work. >> i'm going to miss walking upstairs and seeing the green screen. >> uh-oh. >> and off we go. go nowhere. 12 blizzards blowing♪ ♪ 8 front yards blinding ♪ 6 snowballs flying ♪ 5 packages addressed by toddlers ♪ ♪ that's a q ♪ 4 lightning bolts ♪ 3 creepy gnomes ♪ 2 angry geese ♪ and a giant blow-up snowman ♪ that kind of freaks me out [ beep ] [ female announcer ] no one delivers the holidays like the u.s. postal service. priority mail flat rate is more reliable than ever. and with improved tracking up to 11 scans, you can even watch us get it there.

♪ don't worry, santa will find us. ♪ [ female announcer ] this christmas, light santa's way with the hallmark santa signal ornament. ♪ thank you grandma for the dolls. ♪ ♪ i love it! ♪ i'm ninja kicking through the halls. ♪ ♪ i love it! ♪ mom's posting pictures on your wall. ♪ ♪ that's my kind of holiday.

orange juice...tomato sauce... can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down. and you can't grow your enamel back. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel. because it helps to strengthen the enamel that you have. and i believe it's doing a good job. [ malejust pick an islandgthen little more wow in your life? and pack your bags for the caribbean. royal caribbean's three day wow sale ends today. call 1-800-royal-caribbean today.

♪ i picked it out in a snap ♪ what made it genius ♪ was my camouflage wrap ♪ that's my kind of holiday every day we're working to and to keep our commitments. and we've made a big commitment to america. bp supports nearly 250,000 jobs here. through all of our energy operations, we invest more in the u.s. than any other place in the world. in fact, we've invested over $55 billion here in the last five years - making bp america's largest energy investor. our commitment has never been stronger.

good morning. i'm eric thomas. people across the bay area are waking up to some freezing temperatures this morning. many have been getting ready for the cold snap by stocking up on firewood and buying space heaters, others are running around protecting their plants with good reason. here's mike. >> we're already starting to see temperatures respond to the sunshine. most of us above the freezing mark, at least our recording station until you get to novato, still a lot of frost around. temperatures upper 40s to low 50s under total sunshine. freezing cold again tonight. snow is possible friday night. sue. we've got problems in the oakland area. let's go here first.

northbound 880, two separate issues. one at fifth and one at 23rd. you can see slow traffic this whole line of traffic as you make your way up towards the oakland area. little farther south northbound 880 before 238 an accident there as well. and we've got a problem on the and we've got a problem on the peninsula at old middle [ female announcer ] for those who love sweets your season is here. let's just call it the baking time of year. you need special ingredients. you need the staples for homemade. you need safeway sugar for just a buck eighty-eight. and that magic thing that makes everyone want another only two ninety-nine for challenge butter. and when hands get messy, quite surely they'll say, yum! wow! yay! what a sweeter holiday. safeway. ingredients for life.

...are the hands that do good things for the whole community: the environment, seniors, kids, and animals. that's why we created the share the love event. by the end of this year, the total donated by subaru could reach 35 million dollars. you get a great deal on a new subaru. we'll donate 250 dollars to a choice of charities that benefit your community. it feels good to be a helping hand. outbreak in over a decade. flu before the first sneeze... help protect with a spray. before the first tissue...

help defend with a wipe. and help prevent with lysol. to get 10x more protection... and kill 99.9% of germs around the house. this season, help protect your family with lysol. start healthing

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and we have a jam-packed hour ahead. the passion for fashion. the devil does not wear prada anymore. she wears flats. are women finally trading in sky-high heels for cool pumps? and global hit girl alexis chung will reveal her must-haves that revise your wardrobe right now. and so long, samuel j. >> i hate that you're going away. i love you. >> all ahead, as we say -- >> good morning, america. >> yes. sam-apalooza.

>> all full of sam champions. sam sighting. >> everyone here, as we send you off, your final broadcast here at "good morning america." and there's too many reasons why we're going to miss you. one is that hearty laugh of yours, that makes even the gloomiest morning brighter. so, i asked, can we have sam on a laugh track? can you be our laugh track? when we're missing you, all we have to do is reach over and push this button. [ sam laughing ] >> now i heard you, you will never do it. >> yes, we will. remember the bell? >> we have a lot planned for you this morning. i know you were ready all of this. you have to hand over the clicker and the galoshes to

ginger zee. she's in denver this morning. she's going to be our weather person going forward. and also this morning, it's toned versus full-bodied. the so-called fit mom is taking on the lingerie entrepreneur telling women to embrace their curves. i'm going to miss you for so many reasons. doing the teases at the 8:00 hour. i ask, could you give me, perhaps, the oddest tease i could possibly do. are you ready, america, for vitamin c-infused showers? can they really improve healthy skin and hair? >> well, yes, gosh. >> reporte >> we're going to find out. >> i'm using one right now. nick watt -- only nick watt

could do this story as beautifully as he will. he's headed into the shower for an upclose and personal look at those vitamin c-infused showers. let's get news from josh. >> we're going to begin with the developing story we brought you at the top of the show. a truck packed with dangerous nuclear material stolen south of the border in mexico. u.s. authorities are working with mexican officials, trying to track down the truck. it is carrying a medical device that uses radioactive material to treat cancer patients. the device would not be able to cause a nuclear explosion. but u.s. officials are worried it could be used in a so-called dirty bomb. it's unclear if the thief even knows what is inside that truck. we'll have updates as news becomes available. and a stunninged ed admissi from the operator of the train in new york that killed four people. he told investigators he dozed off just before the train

crashed. it was not equipped with technology that would have automatically slowed it down. and the ceo convicted of stealing some $134 million from his own company is set to go free now. former tyco executive, dennis kozlowski has been granted parole here in new york. he will serve only 8 years of his maximum 25-year sentence. kozlowski famously threw that $2 million toga party for his wife. he said he was living in a ceo bubble that allowed him to rationalize all he did. and near philadelphia, police are looking for this bridge, caught on camera, no less, helping herself to holiday donations set aside for needy children. she swiped the items from a toys for tots box, before casually strolling off. if this woman was in a financial bind, they would have helped her. the philly police.

friends of samuel j. and here to present him with a special plaque. but i love recognizing philly's finest. finally, instead of toys, no surprise here. kids are asking santa for an ipad this year. look at what your child might do with one. we sped this up. kyle lambert spent 200 hours using the finger painting app. this is not a photo. >> no way. >> this is a painting. >> wow. >> yeah. merry christmas to us all. >> wow. >> yeah. >> that's incredible. >> uh-huh. it's remarkable. >> that's morgan freeman. that looks perfect. >> you can do pictures of your friends and make them look younger. and younger. and younger. >> whatever you're thinking about doing right now. >> i wish there was a clip to go to. we have a clip to go to. we are going to get the weather from sam. we have another one of our favorite sam moments. >> of course, that's weather around the nation from l.a.

we'll have more in the next half hour. gang? >> come here. come on, sammy. open up, sammy. here we go. come on. come on, sammy. come on. sam, you can actually have some real chips if you come back to work. >> i forgot about that one. >> that was a great moment. >> one of my favorite things is to go outside with the audience. and for ginger, i hope this is as fun for her as it has been for me every morning. p you meet the greatest people out there. and kenneth scott and tony woo are officers from philadelphia. come on in. we met them out there. every year, they come in. and they want to raise a little awareness of the program and get some cops in philly. thank you for coming, every year. >> thank you. >> what is that? >> on behalf of the philadelphia police recruiting unit, my partner and i came down to present you with this plaque, a small token of our appreciation. >> you guys. thank you so much. thank you.

i honestly didn't do it for anything other than to get out of a few parking tickets. and it worked out really well for me. thank you. >> appreciate it. >> thank you, gentlemen. thank you for coming by. >> the parade you do every year in philadelphia. >> pvi is a powerhouse station. a quick look at our weather. we're going to start with a live shot in new york city. if you're not watching wabc in new york, unplug your set. you're not getting the best news you could possibly get in that area. into the northeast wpvi is the best in philadelphia. wcvb in boston. these are amazing stations that help make this broadcast number one, as well as the rest of the abc stations around the country. a quick look at the arctic blast moving into the west coast. i have no idea what's going on right now.

>> of course, there's another look at weather in the next half hour. lara spencer, what else is coming up on this broadcast? >> thank you, sam. in the news that pops, a tribute to you. and news about kate. she is wowing in a tiara. why she's wearing one for the first time since the big wedding. and fit mom under fire. from a woman saying everyone should embrace their curves. and vitamin c-infused showers. are they the secret to healthier hair and skin? nick watt knows. and he'll tell us.

all that and it's sam-apalooza day here on "gma." so, don't go anywhere. a world of remarkable itastes comes together. rich, dark chocolate meets sweetened soft centers

flavored with exotic fruit juices, like pomegranate, goji with raspberry, and acai with blueberry. it's chocolate like you've never experienced it before. and it comes from a place called brookside. discover brookside. ♪ [ male announcer ] give 'em a gift they'll love, get this rockwell oscillating tool kit for only $99 at lowe's. get this rockwell oscillating tool kit ♪ i'm gonna do this... no... no... no... i'm gonna beat you this time ♪ yes... (laughing) yes!!

♪

medicare open enrollment. of year again. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law. open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare for hollywood's biggest stars. let's have a look. who is it for? it's for becky. she must be important.

[ neil ] oh, she is. [ female announcer ] now, he designs for the star in your life. becky, will you marry me? yes! [ female announcer ] neil lane bridal. uniquely beautiful, hand-crafted rings from hollywood's master of vintage glamour. at kay jewelers -- the number one jewelry store in america. [ neil ] every woman should feel like a star. ♪ every kiss begins with kay [ neil ] every woman should feel like a star. so, you play in denver for

the broncos. at mile-high stadium. >> correct. >> tell me about your relationship with thunder. >> our mascot, thunder. >> yes. >> you're talking about the horse that runs up and down the field every time the broncos score. >> oh, yes. >> so, for those of you just crawled out from under the rocks, ron burgundy, with peyton manning. ron burgundy as ron burgundy, will be taking over the desk that you and i once called home. the desk at "sportscenter." terrific. that was just a clip. of course, released ahead of the big day. it's going to air on our sister network, espn. and it went, not surprisingly, viral overnight. >> oh, yeah. >> it is rocketing towards a million views. so, looking forward to that, as -- >> they're having fun. >> they're coming. it's going to be terrific. >> it's going to be so great.

the news that pops, as samuel coined it. we begin this morning with a little royal news. a shining moment for princess kate last night. glamorous buckingham palace reception hosted by the queen. and kate was wearing a diamond tiara. this is the first time she wore one since the royal wedding in 2011. the headpiece was once worn by the late queen mother, dating back as far as the 1920s. that was her. that picture you saw pop up wasn't there to alarm you in any way. it was a look back. >> there you go. as we're doing today. >> she looks lovely. >> she is beautiful. and so is sam. a question for you all. what does singer/song writer legend have in common with the knicks? three words. madison square garden. the piano man has agreed to become the garden's first-ever franchise. meaning, he will perform a show there every, single month, as long as the audience demands, which they do.

the first four shows are already sold out. so, once a month, he'll do a show. it's like his little vegas. >> at the garden? >> yeah. you can't get enough of the piano man. >> nope. as you all know by now, it is a very emotional day for all of us. but in "pop news," as we say good-bye to sam, to support and embrace all of the news that pops, no matter how obscure. here's a look at one of sam's favorite "pop news" stories ever. i play it -- it's also a great example of what we will all miss most, the laugh. >> it's time for the annual gravy world championships. >> what? >> what's that? you never heard of them? >> no. >> you're in for a treat. >> okay. >> this year's gravy gathering attracted 15,000 fans to the town of lancashire.

sam? do you need cpr? >> can you go on? >> and now, as we all know, sam is moving on to a place with lots of bells and whistles and radars. but i have a clip that proves that you are like the macgyver of weather, sam. >> no, no. >> yes. >> no. >> you, sam, have a big imagination. >> i don't know how that works. but that's what i've been told. but imagine this. okay. here's the eastern shoreline right here. dana, you're my west coast. you're a little showery up north. but nice and dry down south. just so you know. lara? >> oh, no. >> no. i can't watch that. >> everybody was on the desk going -- what? >> you are the macgyver of

weather. >> in case that moment flew by you the first time. >> sam, you had no clue. had no clue. >> that was better the second time. >> and as you all know, sam's always been there for me, when "pop news" required some sort of demonstration. modeling as sam only knows how. the tv model that he is. i thought it was fitting that on your last day, these are some of the examples how far you will go for the news that pops. today, i've been waiting to do this story. it's a christmas present. it seems right. i know you like the onesie. this is one of the hot items for this year. it's called the twinsie. this is a onesie for your friend, that you can't stand to get away from. >> i can't put the whole thing on. >> yes, you can. and you will. sam. how are you doing?

>> i'm all right. >> these are available online. they are $80. or we could split it and pay $40. >> $40 apiece. this is nice. what's nice about it is the shared body warmth. walk with me. bye, guys. that's "pop news." we're going to move on. here's the photo from a few weeks back. the what's your excuse mom? she is at it again. a smackdown with the founder of curvy girls, who is on a campaign to show real women in lingerie. abc's linsey davis has the story. >> reporter: it's fit versus full-bodied, in a faceoff between this woman who, again, stands accused of fat shaming. and this woman, who is encouraging women to embrace their curves. the gloves are off. and now, so, too, are the clothes. you may remember maria kang, a.k.a. fit mom this controversial photo she posted on her facebook page in september.

baring sculpted abs by their three kids by her side. asking what's your excuse? >> i'm not a bully. >> reporter: now, she's at it again. this time going up against the owner of curvy girl lingerie. the store owner recently encouraged women to bare it all online, stripping down to lingerie, to prove real women are beautiful. >> as soon as we got pictures on our facebook page, we got kind feedback. >> reporter: but kang reacted by posting online, i woke up this morning to news stories about how overweight, nearly obese women, should be proud of their bodies. i think we should all accept how any healthy body, through good nutrition and exercise, manifests. but i'm starting to get annoyed. >> by normalizing something, we're saying accept yourself. but at the same time, you're creating a level of comfort. if you're comfortable, you can't desire to change. >> reporter: the two moms took it a step further on cnn.

>> you cannot tell if i work out. you cannot tell how healthy i am by looking at a photo of me. >> reporter: the irony, these adversaries have the same intent, to empower women. >> to love yourself. and to love yourself, you will progress yourself. >> the more you love yourself, the more it's going to be reflect in all of the areas of your life. >> reporter: the debate continues. but fit mom has apologized. she told us last night, if any women are feeling bad about themselves as a result of her position, she is sorry. and says, that is not her intention. but her contention is still that you can tell how healthy a person is, just by looking at them. maybe true. perhaps not. >> certainly debatable. >> exactly. >> that's what's happening here. >> thank you, linsey. coming up next -- switching gears. most people take vitamin c to ward off a cold or a flu. but now, it's coming out. the medicine cabinets and

heading into the shower. some think it could be the secret to healthier hair and healthier skin. the one and only nick watt has this story for us. ♪ >> reporter: here in sin city, you're allowed to marry a stranger, lose it all on red. and now, take a shower infused with vitamin c. ♪ hallelujah >> reporter: i'm serious. a vitamin c shower. and it's counteracting the chlorine in the water. >> chlorine is an oxidant and is known to damage the hair, as well as the skin. and having vitamin c in the water counteracts that. >> reporter: not to ward off a winter sniffle or a bout of pirate scurvy. >> we started with 42 rooms at the mgm grand. a by the end of this month, we're going to expand it to 171. >> reporter: vitamin c in the shower. that's too much.

come on. >> it's never too much. >> reporter: and the trend is spreading. leonardo dicaprio himself just bought an apartment in new york city that comes with a vitamin c shower head as standard. you can buy one yourself for 20 or 30 bucks. vitashower told us, the vitamin c showers neutralize harmful chlorine. what does a dermatologist think? >> i don't think taking a shower that's infused with vitamin c does any harm. i doubt that it has any real benefits for the skin. >> reporter: did the vitamin c shower make me feel better? i don't know. i feel great. maybe that's just because i'm in vegas. for "good morning america," nick watt, abc news, vegas, on the strip. moving on. when a fashionista put her foot down and said no to high-heels, at least in an online column, it got quite a lot of attention. some folks disagree. others conceded she had a point. deborah roberts has the story.

>> reporter: they're a must-have for any fashionista. sky-high heels. a staple of fashion shows and in glossy magazines. if "the devil wears prada," they must be prada heels. >> that's all. >> reporter: but now, lauren sherman is saying, no thanks. you've sworn off of heels completely? >> yes. >> reporter: after twisting her ankle, she wrote about it for elle.com. >> i started wearing flats. >> reporter: was that an aha moment? >> it was. it was like, wow. the thing that i've always wanted to do is also what everyone wants to do right now. >> reporter: say it's not so. women swearing off their painful sky-highs for comfort? podiatrists hope so. >> to wear high heels, the muscles, tendles and ligaments and bones of that foot have to

work considerably harder. much more difficult for the foot to maintain stability and balan balance. >> reporter: after so many years of suffering for beauty and kicks, maybe a new day is dawning. do you think average women are driving this whole thing? or is this the fashion world just sort of dictating something new? >> it's both. everything feeds off of each other. and women want to look great. but women are also practical. >> reporter: i'm not ready to turn in my jimmy choos just yet. i'm wondering if lauren might be on to something. do i look as good in these? >> i love them. and i think especially the length of your skirt, looks really cute with flats. yes. i think they look fantastic. >> reporter: i must admit, these feel so much better. you may have noticed, in shoe departments, flats are everywhere. women are spending close to $5 billion a year on heels, the sales of flats are up nearly 4%. if you're willing to take the plunge, you have a lot of company in low heels.

>> you're wearing some right now? >> and, sam, in honor of you, sparkles. >> great. >> our viewers are checking in on this. one tweeted, i did this. i love my pretty sandals and flats. i don't miss heels at all. and another tweeted. no. heels are a girl's best friend. #gma. >> not all flats are comfortable. and not all high heels are uncomfortable. it depends. >> down a middle road, as always. >> everything in moderation. >> going on to you, george. >> all right. coming up, everybody. we're going shopping. stay with us. and down the stretch, he comes.

good morning. i'm eric thomas. fire crews in san jose are looking into the cause of an early-morning fire that ripped through a mobile home. these photos were taken by the san jose fire department when they arrived on the scene shortly after 2:00 a.m. the fire broke out at a park near monterey and blossom hill roads. it's not believed that anybody was home at the time. neighbors say a man in his 70s lived in the home. they say he hasn't been seen since yesterday. and his car was not parked out front. let's see how traffic's going this morning. sue hall in for leyla gulen. thanks, eric. it's not easing up any time real soon here. we have a couple problems still out there. just cleared now north 280 before el monte. the accident still there. you can see the long line of slow traffic northbound. 280 northbound 101 at woodside a

motorcycle down, very serious accident. left lane blocked. t one lesson a new business owner, it would be one thing i've learned is my philosophy is real simple american express open forum is an on-line community, that helps our members connect and share ideas

to make smart business decisions. if you mess up, fess up. be your partners best partner. we built it for our members, but it's open for everyone. there's not one way to do something. no details too small. american express open forum. this is what membership is. this is what membership does. welcome back. we still have a few areas around freezing if not below. concord p 2, same thing novato. still frost possible for about another half hour or so. let's talk about what's going to happen this afternoon. we'll have total sunshine, clean polar air, but temperatures will run anywhere from about seven to 11 degrees cooler than average. most of us should be around 60,

we'll be lucky to get into the low 50s. accuweather seven-day forecast all that's left freezing hey. from the set of "live with kelly and michael," sam, we want to congratulate you, man, on your next step. we love you. we're going to watch you. we feel like new york got a little colder because you're not here to warm it up. >> sam, on a personal note, you've been wearing my clothes many times over the years. and when i first moved to new york city, you were a local weather man on an abc station. and you were my first friend in my head. i never have forgot that. you are the best. we will follow you wherever you go. >> we love you, sam. >> they're spectacular. >> kelly and michael, doing what we're going to do in a little bit. say good-bye to our friend and colleague. we're celebrating you.

and we're also going to meet the newbie, the rookie. that you made freeze. i didn't know we were hazing here on "good morning america." find the coldest place in north america and send her there. >> she's got a smile. >> she's the best. first, from the it man, to the it girl. >> thank you. we have a little business to get to before we continue our celebration of all things sam. first, don't get to be a tv personality, model, style icon, like alexa chung, without learning a thing or two along the way. i mean, what she does. alexa's taken what she has learned and sharing it in a new book. it's called "it." and rachel smith is giving us a sampling. >> reporter: she's a british model turned 21st century it girl. a phenomenon, according to "vogue" magazine's editor in chief, anna wintour. now, she's sharing what it takes to have what she has, in a new

book called "it." >> the it girl term. and i like that it's finite. it's such a broad spectrum of ideas. >> reporter: i look at it as maybe an inspiration board? >> yes. it's like one, long pinterest or instagram account. it's what i do for inspiration. >> reporter: to show me where she finds inspiration, she invited me to 10 foot single in brooklyn, new york. >> they say it's effortless or whatever. and they don't realize i spent two hours washing it, and drying it and making it look messy. >> reporter: within off her favorite pop culture references, the spice girls. >> they look like they're having so much fun. and there weren't any rules when it came to getting dressed. to me, it's about expressing yourself and convey your frustrations and things you like through how you dress. we could be in the spice girls. this is it.

>> missing our pigtails. >> say ah. >> reporter: our alexa must-have, valley flats, ankle boots, a white shirt, a boyfriend sweater. a canvas tote. and a trench coat. >> the rolling stones with that. >> what would you pair it with? >> black jeans. it's so itchy. i'm willing to do it, though. >> reporter: is that a winner? >> i think we have a winner, everyone. >> reporter: yes. and a newfound passion for fashion. for "good morning america," rachel smith, abc news, brooklyn. >> got that? >> and boots. >> alexa chung's book, "it," is available right now. and right now, it's time for one final check of the weather with our sam champion. shall we? >> let's go. >> may we escort you? >> you know, it's good because you mention this is always the best part of your job. and it's the best part of ours

because this is your show. and so, as we say good-bye to sam, we're all -- >> guys, this is. thank you so much. thank you. thank you for coming out. thank you. your hands are so cold. i will stand here and warm them all up. how's that? each one. good morning, everybody. good morning. thank you, guys, for coming. santas, everybody working down there. i see you, arkansas. it's your birthday? it's your birthday? happy birthday. tell me your name? >> priscilla sanchez. >> welcome in. we're glad you are sharing your birthday with us. let's get to the boards. there's a picture i wanted you to see. the lovely ginger zee. i don't have any monitor out here. there it is. there's the lovely ginger zee. >> you can use this. >> no. i actually physically need the pictures. i'm not going to do it without them. and by the way, here's a little

five-day of atlanta. >> wow. what do you know? >> get ready, atlanta. get ready, atlanta. it's a little cool. i don't know if i can handle the 70s. can i handle the 70s, atlanta? >> here's the map. >> 61 in l.a. and the rest is all there for you. >> i'll talk to you guys in just a second. all that weather is brought to you by the university of phoenix. can we see that picture of ginger zee one more time? we're going to talk to our ginger. i didn't purposely send her to denver, the coldest place. >> that's a lie. >> i did not. we're going to talk to ginger in just a minute. and i can't wait.

>> one last time. everybody, the great samuel j. champion. [ cheers and applause ] is cocoming up, more of the ce using lysol in hundreds of ways. what's christine's story?

i started using lysol disinfectant spray, gosh, as long as i can remember. i use lysol on soft surfaces because you can't put your couch in the washing machine. i think that lysol disinfectant spray compares to other products in that it actually kills the germs. which helps keep my family healthy. it's tried and true. i mean all you have to do is just spray. it does the job for you. lysol - hundreds of ways to help protect your family. like the enticing aroma and distinctive taste of nespresso. elegant capsules meet masterfully crafted machines, and one touch creates the perfect coffee, cappuccino, and latte. ♪ tempt all your senses with one extraordinary coffee. [ penélope cruz ] nespresso. what else? [ male announcer ] discover the world of nespresso on grant avenue and nespresso-us.com.

sam, sending you lots of love from las vegas. i will miss your sparkling blue eyes every morning.

>> remind people, over the years -- you're very proud of yourself. >> that's britney spears. >> after seven years here on this little program, "good morning america," 25 years here in the new york market. in fact, good friends at wabc, liz cho, bill ritter, lee goldberg, all here because we've been having fun. but your award-winning coverage when it came to superstorm sandy and other storms like that. we've had the wacky moments we saw on "play of the day" and that. we thought we would take another stroll down memory lane because you are a renaissance man. i can barely look at you right now, sam. you encompass all that is good and right in this world. and you show us each and every day when you show up here. sam, this is your life, on "gma." >> that's the weather around the

nation. here's what you can expect this morning. >> right now, sam champion of wabc here in new york city, is filling in for spencer christian this week. and he has the national weather forecast for us. it's good to have you here. >> thank you. it's good to be here. we have a lot of wind and rain from the storm. also, flooding. over here, water from the gulf. over here, water from the bay. and you can imagine what they're doing to those fires that are out there in the hills that have been roaring all night long behind us. water keeps going up so fast, we have a levee leak early this morning. imagine getting a 2:00 a.m. phone call saying to get out of your home. this, critics say, is what bp does not want you to see. oil and chemical dispersant swirling together in a toxic soup. over the weekend, 70 tornadoes in 70 states. but what happened here in joplin is the worst. the hudson river is that way. we tried to get out down south.

don't know how much water is here on west street and chambers. but cars haven't been able to get through. let me just set the scene for you. we are at the foothills of the rockies. all of that water rushing out of the mountains, all that heavy rain rushes right through here. and it cuts right through boulder. this is the only structure standing in this community. it was mobile homes behind me. and if you look at it now, it's basically shattered debris. woo. we wanted to get you as close to polar ice as we could for this broadcast. and that journey took us all the way to the top of the world in iceland. we're actually in alaska, at the national wildlife refuge. look around at the scenery here. this is a one-armed push-up. that's amazing. look how easily i can tumble and be spun around. diving down, i got a firsthand

look at the extreme pressurized for humans habitat. it's unbelievable. i feel i should be turning around and turning around. there are 2,000 fish around me. 100 different species. and living coral right there behind us. this is the first time i've done weather underwater, literally. that's the weather around the nation. your local forecast is just 30 seconds away. >> look at this shrimp on a treadmill. >> shrimp on a treadmill? that's the worst intro i've ever had. george? george? is this it? i don't know how that works. but imagine this. here's the eastern shoreline right here. >> sam. sam. sam. >> i know you were a teen model. >> i was a teen model. just saying. i was a teen model.

>> the holiday sweater. >> samuel j. champion. >> oh, hello. harry potter? no. henry. henry potter. i'm veronica corningstone. going cassette to 8-track. that was a bad idea. right. left. milk, please. >> i don't want to ask twice. >> love you, sam. ♪ >> i love you guys, more than i can express. i've had the extreme joy that i

don't think very many people will ever know of working with your friends and your family. this will always be my home. [ cheers and applause ] >> sam, that's who you are. i said this to you often times. you're so quick. you're the best to work with. you can throw -- we can throw anything, and we often did, at you. and you'd hit it out of the park. and people are saying, how can we be celebrating? it's because of the love. and the fact that, yeah, we're sad to see you go. but we're so happy for you in this next chapter that you're embarking on. and a great, new adventure. >> we already miss you. >> and you seem so excited about this, as well. >> it is something that people will go through in their life when you want to stay. you want to. there's an opportunity that

says, you have to take it. and i'm not going to leave you guys. i'm not going to leave you. and by the way, the tape that you just saw, darcie. >> thank you. >> it's a dream job. it really has been. every time you saw me doing something that looked wacky or dangerous or i shouldn't be doing that, this is the producer that made it all happen. and anything that i do that's smart or good, darcie is the one who had something to do with it. >> great, guys. >> i just want to say thank you because it's been a gift each and every day to work with you, sam. and a lot of people talked about our bromance. and for me, it was just a friendship. there's happy on the inside. but the tears -- oh.

i'm going to miss you. and you are the best live broadcaster i've ever worked with. and thank you. thank you for giving the gift to us and to everybody at home every day. >> yeah. >> thank you. >> we love you. we love this guy. you're always going to be -- we wish you the best. we love that smile. and keep doing what you do, big guy. >> this is a lot harder than i thought it was going to be. i can't -- let's just go to break. and we'll be right back. >> master. >> ginger is in the cold in the snow. that's where you sent her, sam. that's where she sits. >> i need a moment with our ginger zee, just to tell her what a wonderful job she's

stepping into and what a great journey. >> it's 5 degrees. >> i'm sorry, it's 5 degrees. and it's snowing. >> we'll be right back. ♪ i love it! ♪ thank you grandma for the dolls. ♪ ♪ i love it! ♪ i'm ninja kicking through the halls. ♪ ♪ i love it! ♪ mom's posting pictures on your wall. ♪ ♪ that's my kind of holiday.

♪ i picked it out in a snap ♪ what made it genius ♪ was my camouflage wrap ♪ that's my kind of holiday

our ginger zee is right there. when you follow that red line through atlantic city, that's where she is. good morning, ginger. and one of the storm chasers was our ginger zee, just outside of wichita this morning. good morning, ginger. ginger's in longmont, right now. ginger, what's up? >> at last two years, they've been the best weather team in the business, sam champion and ginger zee. it's time for the official handoff. the ceremonial handing off of the galoshes. >> every time ginger and i have a moment together on television. leave the box up. we're on the phone, making sure that, whether they're in the right location. that we're safe. that everything's okay. last night, i had a conversation with ginger. and she was telling me, she's headed to denver for the cold

air and the snow. ginger, it's hard for me to even believe this is the last time. they got you some boots. i'm going to get you orange wader because you and i both know, these things won't keep us dry where we two, lady. this is for walking to get a cab. >> yeah. >> we'll do this anyway because -- i'm going to get you some orange extreme team hip waders. here we go. one, two, three -- >> the handoff. >> go long. go long. >> separated by states. >> snow. blizzard. >> you can go for miles. >> really long. >> here's the thing about ginger. not only is she the very, very best at what we do. and she shines, i think, when you're out there live, telling people what's going on around you. you have an ability to distill the scene into exactly what

means something to people. so, it doesn't like leave them, the moment. and you do this so beautifully. but inside ginger zee is an amazingly beautiful young woman. inside and outside, she's gorgeous. but i think the inside may be even more beautiful. ginger, i can't go without talking to you. so, we will always be together. but you are walking into an amazing, amazing team. >> we know, sam, these boots are the biggest boots in the world. i will never be able to be you or fill them. i am genuinely honored and humbled to have this opportunity. and i've got to tell you. you taught me one thing. that the extreme team will be extreme forever. i can promise america that. and you have to appreciate the people you work with, that do a great job. you have been the best partner i could have asked for coming to this national stage on the weekends and out in the storms. i wouldn't have had a better leader. and i couldn't have learned from someone -- when you look at the

dictionary and you look up tv, it says sam champion. if i could grab an iota of that in my career, i would be so fortunate. >> you are ready, ginger zee. >> welcome, ginger. >> stratos. >> is ginger still with us? >> yes. >> i read something in the paper. i want you to confirm today, ginger. is it true that your name comes from "gilligan's island"? >> yes. yes, it does. my father grew up in the netherlands. and he didn't know how to speak english when he got to america. and he watched "gilligan's island" to learn it. and that was his favorite character. >> thank god he wasn't watching "wheel of fortune." >> she could have been lovey. >> ginger, knowing that, you're

going to fit in just fine. just fine. >> it's all coming together now. >> we'll be right back. and struggle to sleep comfortably together,

now there's a solution. the company that individualized your comfort with the sleep number bed brings you sleep number dual temp, the revolutionary temperature-balancing layer with active air technology that works on any mattress brand, including yours. whether you sleep hot or cool, sleep number dual temp allows each of you to select your ideal temperature. so you can both sleep exactly the way you like, at your own perfect temperature. and there's only one place in the world you'll find it: a sleep number store, where this holiday season, the hottest sleep innovations make the coolest gifts, including sleep number dual temp. discover dual temp at one of our 425 sleep number stores nationwide. sleep number. comfort individualized. visit sleepnumber.com to find a sleep number store near you.

this is the last time. >> on behalf -- it's more like the mary tyler moore.

i love you. buddy valastro loves you. come on, buddy. >> oh. >> oh, look at that. look at that. >> it's a weather cake. that's fantastic. >> thank you. >> that's when you know. >> we want to thank buddy valastro for building the cake. and love you, sam.

your season is here. let's just call it the baking time of year. you need special ingredients. you need the staples for homemade. you need safeway sugar for just a buck eighty-eight. and that magic thing that makes everyone want another only two ninety-nine for challenge butter. and when hands get messy, quite surely they'll say, yum! wow! yay! what a sweeter holiday. safeway. ingredients for life.

good morning. i'm kristen sze. there are delays on b.a.r.t. in morning with smoke reportedly coming from the brakes of a b.a.r.t. train insided b.a.r.t. tunnel near orinda. that train is out of the tunnel at oakland's station but what does it mean for delays, sue? >> major delays, unfortunately. when b.a.r.t. says major delays, it's over 30 minutes. while they're evacuating the station, they are single tracking. so at least 35 to 40-minute delays there. muni also has delays. and ace train number seven is delayed about ten minutes. here's mike with the forecast. thanks, sue. cool temperatures not only in the morning but in the afternoon hours. we're about seven to 11 degrees

cooler than average with temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. check out your accuweath announcer: it's "live! with kelly & michael." today, star of the action drama "lone survivor," mark wahlberg. and from the series, "the real housewives of atlanta," nene leakes. plus, your questions and comment observe another edition of goldiebox. -- kelly and michael's "inbox." all next on "live." now, here are kelly ripa and michael strahan! [cheers and applause] ♪